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Reporting:

Last updated 23 September 2013

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Welcome to our live coverage of the standoff at the Westgate shopping centre in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. The centre came under attack on Saturday by Somali militants of al-Shabab resulting in the death of at least 39 people.

Officials say the gunmen have been cornered but that people are trapped in a number of locations. It is not known how many hostages are inside the upmarket centre.

Kenyan security forces are trying to bring an end to the siege.

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The BBC's Anne Soy says the night has been relatively quiet with sporadic shooting.

TWEET

Kenya police @PoliceKE has tweeted

"We urge the public to keep away from West Gate and its environs for their own safety. Kindly HEED this."

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Gunfire has been heard inside the Nairobi shopping centre, and two wounded Kenyan troops have been evacuated, a witness has told the AFP news agency.

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Afua Hirsch, West Africa Correspondent for the Guardian, has tweeted: "Also just heard tragic news that #Ghanaian poet Kofi Awoonor among the dead in #Westgate Mall attack #Kenya http://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2013/09/22/senior-ghanaian-citizen-awoonor-killed-in-kenya-gun-attack/"